


Never Grow Up

by Adelina_Ophelia



Series: Ranvanni Baby [1]
Category: Strictly Come Dancing RPF
Genre: And knows lots of curse words, And so is almost everyone, Baby girl is v. cute, Everyone being overprotective of pregnant Ranvir, F/M, Fluff, Gio being majorly soft over his princess and her bump, Gio is a soft dad, Giovanni is even more in awe of his Princess and his baby girl, Giovanni panicking about everything, Pregnancy fic because we need a Ranvanni child, Ranvir being very chill about having a newborn, Ranvir is bored of being 42 weeks pregnant, but mainly fluff, lil bit of angst, whilst simultaneously spoiling baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:53:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28799394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adelina_Ophelia/pseuds/Adelina_Ophelia
Summary: Pregnancy AU fic because these two would make beautiful children
Relationships: Giovanni Pernice/Ranvir Singh
Series: Ranvanni Baby [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149527
Comments: 82
Kudos: 52





	1. The Beginning of Forever

Shit.

Ranvir sat on the edge of the bathroom counter. In her hand she held the small plastic stick that told her the news she was dreading. She was pregnant. How would Giovanni react? What if he was angry? She was supposed to be on the pill but she’d had a migraine a couple of months back and forgot to take it a couple of times. Oh god. He was going to hate her; could she handle being left while pregnant again?

Jumping down of the side, Ranvir did her best to push those thoughts away. That wasn’t him. They’d discussed this before; he wanted a baby with her, desperate for one even. They were going to wait another year, get married first but fate has a funny way of throwing things at you in the most unexpected way, she supposed. Allowing herself a smile, she laid her hand on her still flat stomach and imagined the baby that would soon be crawling around the house. 

The sound of Gio’s car parking on the drive pulled her out of her reverie. Panicking slightly, she threw the positive pregnancy test on the bed without realising it was in clear sight. She ran down the stairs and met him at the door. Upon seeing her, Giovanni’s eyes lit up and he hugged her tightly.

“Hey Princess. I missed you so much,” he muttered into her hair, pulled her closer.

Pressing a gentle kiss to his neck before pulling away, “Do you want a coffee, darling?” she questioned.

“Yes please, Ranvi. I’m just going to go and get changed.”

After saying this, Giovanni ran upstairs to get changed as Ranvir went into the kitchen and started making coffee for them both; a couple of cups a day wouldn’t hurt the baby. At the thought of the baby, a smile came across her face and once again got lost in her thoughts, this time about the way Giovanni would be with a baby. 

“Ranvi? Princess?”

Upon hearing Giovanni’s panicked tone, Ranvir ran up the stairs, “Are you alright?”

“What’s this?”

Looking at what he was holding, Ranvir closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“It’s a positive pregnancy test, Giovanni.”

“Is it…. Ours? Are we having a baby, Princess?”

Ranvir couldn’t find the words so she just nodded, looking at the floor. The next thing she knew, she’d been pulled down onto the bed next to Giovanni and he tilted her chin up with a finger and softly brushed his lips against hers. 

Giovanni couldn’t believe his luck; all he’d ever wanted was a wife and a family. He knew he’d found it with Ranvir and Tushaan but this was amazing. He’d be lying if he’d said he hadn’t thought about another child but they’d agreed that if it happened then it happened, if it didn’t, everything was fine. Giovanni adored that little boy like he was his own and that was never going to change; Gio just had two children now. He glanced over at the drawer in the corner of the room but decided that news could wait until later. 

Smiling, he gently laid a hand on her stomach rubbing it with his thumb. Ranvir responded by placing her hand on top of his, intertwining her fingers with his. They lay back on the bed with her head on his chest, one leg draped over his hip. Placing a gentle kiss to her head, they both drifted off to sleep.

When Giovanni awoke a few hours later, he glanced down at a still sleeping Ranvir and brushed a stray lock of hair off her cheek. Ranvir’s eyes fluttered open and she met his questioning gaze.

“What is it, darling?” she asked.

“We didn’t really talk about… that,” Giovanni gestured vaguely in the direction of the pregnancy test.

“Well, what did you want to talk about, darling. I’d have thought it was pretty straightforward.”

“Seriously, Ranvi? Now is not the time for sarcasm, Princess. Are you happy?”

“Of course I’m happy, darling,” Ranvir gently cupped his cheek, “the real question is are you happy?”

Giovanni leant down and kissed her gently, threading his fingers through her hair. “Baby of course I’m happy. I’ve wanted a baby with you for a year, my princess.”

Smiling, Ranvir glanced down at his other hand which was still resting lightly on her stomach, “You’re never going to move that hand are you, Giovanni?”

“Absolutely fucking not. My baby’s in there,” Gio replied in all seriousness.

Laughing, Ranvir muttered something about it being a long 40 odd weeks. Giovanni kept stroking her stomach before leaning down and kissing it gently. In response, Ranvir ran her fingers through his hair, ruffling it. 

“I can’t believe my baby’s in there,” Gio continued stroking her stomach with an awestruck gaze.

Laughing, Ranvir replied, “You’re never going to stop, are you? God, my stomach’s still flat. How the fuck are you going to react to a bump.”

Giovanni’s eyes lit up as if he’d completely forgotten that she’d have a baby bump in a few months. Ranvir remembered the first time he’d seen old photos of her while she was pregnant with Tushaan and the way he’d spent the next few days following her around looking at her stomach and touching it more often than normal. She remembered the conversation they’d naturally had due to her concerns over his desire for a family and her age and the way Giovanni had expressed absolutely no pressure over her to have another child, naturally he wouldn’t complain if it had happened, but he was content with just Tushaan; that had made her cry. She was so happy she’d found an amazing father for him in the end, even if it wasn’t his biological father. 

A few moments later, Giovanni’s voice broke the companionable silence they were so accustomed to.

“Ranvi? I have something important to ask you…”


	2. Forever & Always

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gio asks both Ranvir and Tushaan an important question.

“Ranvi? I have something important to ask you…”

Panic flooded Ranvir’s veins as a thousand possibilities ran through her head, each one worse than the last. Her overthinking was still an issue they had yet to fully tackle; Ranvir supposed it would always be a part of her but Giovanni always seemed to know when she was spiraling and pulled her out before she got too deep.

Noticing the fear in her eyes, Giovanni leant down and kissed her deeply. “It isn’t bad, Ranvi. I promise. At least I hope it’s not…” he trailed off, getting lost in his own mind before standing up and pacing the length of the bedroom.

Why was he so nervous? He’d planned this for months. She’d never given him an indication that this wouldn’t be a welcome thing. He began twisted the gold ring on his little finger obsessively, the way he often did when he was nervous. Just ask her, Giovanni, he mentally scolded himself. It’s simple, he had this planned: he’d ask her, then ask him and everything would be fine.

He swallowed nervously and opened his mouth in an attempt to speak but found his words caught in his throat. He’d won international dance competitions for gods sake and this was hard. Of course, this meant more, so much more than anything else. It was possibly the second most important question he’ll ever ask in his life … the first was still incoming (he had a new plan for that one).

Ranvir stood up and took his hands. Her touch felt like gentle rain on his burning skin. He smiled softly, knowing that she was his eternity and so were their kids.

“Giovanni. If this is about the paper you tried to hide in the drawer. I’ve seen it.”

Gio let out a hugh sigh of relief, “And you’re not mad? I was worried you’d hate the idea…”

“Of course not, darling. It’s very sweet,” she reassured him while stroking his arm gently. “I’m sure he’ll love it.”

Giovanni gently took her hand, “I’m not doing this just because I love you, you know that right? I’m doing this because I absolutely adore him. I’ve never been like this with a child before. I mean I always wanted children and I love Mia but I’ve never felt like ‘this is my baby and I need to protect him’ about anything before. And now, especially with this little one on the way, I genuinely do want to adopt Tushaan.”

Ranvir’s breath caught in her throat as the words fell from Giovanni’s mouth, his accent thick with emotion. Of course, she’d seen the adoption forms he’d attempted to hide and so this wasn’t a major surprise but hearing the words. It was just different. Somehow hearing him say it made it feel more real. Being able to figure out no real reply for him, she responded the only way she knew out, by kissing him deeply before her alarm went off.

“Shit. I need to go pick Tushaan up from school.”

“Absolutely not. My princess is very busy growing a baby. You’re staying here and I’ll pick him up and ask him about… well… yeah,” Giovanni once again returned to twisting his ring.

“Hey,” she grabbed his hands to stop him, “he adores you. He’s gonna be thrilled, darling. Don’t you worry.”

Of course, Giovanni did worry. The entire car journey to the school and the entire time he was waiting for Tushaan to come outside. After what felt like fifty years, Tushaan came strolling over to Gio after saying bye to his friends. He looked up at Gio with the same worried expression in his eyes Gio had seen many times in his mother’s. And, exactly as Giovanni expected, the first thing that came out of his mouth was:

“Is mum okay?”

Smiling to himself, Gio replied, “Of course she is, little man. She’s just tired and we don’t want mum driving while she’s tired, do we?”

“Nope. Although mum never admits to being tired or sick or anything really.” With that Tushaan rolled his eyes, an almost identical version of Ranvir’s signature eye roll.

“Come on then, little man. We can pick up pizza on the way home.”

At that promise, Tushaan jumped into the front seat of Gio’s car, revelling in the fact that Gio lets him sit there as Ranvir frequently will not. 

“So, what’s going on Gio?” 

“God, you’re just like your mother, you know that right? You should both profile people for a living.”

“You can. It’s a job in the police. Figure out the kind of suspect you’re looking for with a crime and stuff.”

“Alright, smartarse. I get it.”

Both of them began laughing. It was easy being around Tushaan for Gio; it was just like having a smaller version of Ranvir, although it was very difficult to be smaller than Ranvir and Tushaan probably wouldn’t be for much longer. Gio glanced over at him, took a deep breath and plunged into the deep end.

“Right little man. I have a very important question to ask you…”

“Yes, you can marry mum.”

Gio did a double take, “Wait. What? No. That’s not what I wanted to ask. Although that’s reassuring that I have your approval for that. And we will be talking about how I want to propose to your mom at a later date.”

“Oh, what is it then Gio?”

“You know I love you a lot, right? And you’re like my own son, even though biologically you’re not.”

“Of course, Gio. And I love you too, even though you’re not my biological dad.”

Giovanni’s heart swelled everytime Tushaan said that, “Well little man, I may never be your biological father, but I can be legally…”

“Yeah, by marrying mum. You’d be my stepdad,” a look of confusion crossed Tushaan’s face as he attempted to figure out what was happening. Gio had just said that he wasn’t proposing to his mum yet, but now…

Gio stopped the car as they got to the pizza place just down the road from their house and turned to face Tushaan in the car.

“I want to adopt you, little man. I’ve already asked your mum and naturally she already knew, because I swear that woman knows everything, and she said it was your choice. So, what do you say, kid?” Gio’s accent once again became more pronounced with emotion.

Without thinking, Tushaan practically lept into Gio’s lap, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck. Gio hugged him back laughing slightly, his eyes filling with tears.

“Is that a yes then?”

Tushaan nodded violently, “Yes. Please yes.”

After another long hug, Gio decided that they really ought to get that pizza before Ranvir starts panicking and calling him. Hopefully, the arrival of pizza would soften the fact that he’d taken a full half hour longer to get home than usual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was something I've thought about Gio doing for a while and I decided to add it into here.


	3. Living Proof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ranvir has a small bump; cue Gio freaking out.

Ranvir’s alarm rang through the bedroom at 3:00am as per usual, except this time Ranvir didn’t stir; she just snuggled further into her quilt and Giovanni’s arms as if hiding from the intrusive noise. Gio lent over and turned her alarm off before quickly shooting off a text to her producers that she wouldn’t be in work for the rest of the week. He knew she’d be slightly annoyed when he told her but the woman had been up half the night throwing up. He placed her phone back on the bed next to her and held her tighter. He couldn’t believe his luck. He had the most amazing woman in the world curled up next to him and just down the hall he had the most brilliant son who would no doubt have thrown his covers off during the night (Gio made a mental note to go and check before he went downstairs to make his gorgeous princess some coffee). And to top it all off, said princess was carrying his baby. 

At the thought of the baby, his hand ran down her body to rest on her stomach again. This time he found it to be less flat. He immediately placed both his hands there to double check what he’d felt. Still in disbelief, he ran his hands down from her ribcage to her abdomen where there was indeed now a slight bump. 

“Oh my god,” Gio muttered to himself, the entire situation becoming very real all of a sudden. He had a baby and he could feel it. His baby was growing inside his princess. Tears began to fall down his cheeks and one dropped onto Ranvir’s shoulder as he buried his face in her neck.

Slowly opening her eyes, Ranvir recognised the only possible reason for her shoulder to be slightly damp and through her sleepy daze she turned to face Gio.

“Darling? Are you alright?” Ranvir reached up and wiped the tears from his face. “Has something happened?”

“Sorry for waking you, Ranvi. I’m fine. Everything’s perfect, princess.”

“That doesn’t fit in with the crying, Giovanni. Seriously, what’s up?”

Ranvir sat up in bed, now very concerned about the man still lying next to her. As she moved, the covers slipped down to reveal a very small rise in her abdomen and Giovanni’s hand still resting there. A smile slowly spread across Ranvir’s face as she recognised the reason for Gio’s emotional outburst. Reaching down, she intertwined their fingers over her bump and whispered softly, “That’s our baby, Giovanni.”

At that, Gio looked up at her with misty but bright eyes before lifting their intertwined hands and pressing a gentle kiss to the back of hers. 

All of a sudden Ranvir’s stomach lurched and she had to dash into the en suite bathroom before vomiting all over the bed. As she knelt, hunched over the toilet and praising the unborn baby for its perfect timing as always, Giovanni sat beside her and rubbed her back for the duration of her vomiting fit.

When the baby had finally finished emptying its mother’s already empty stomach, Ranvir stood up and brushed her teeth quickly as Giovanni went to get changed and grab Ranvir’s robe, sensing that it was time they were getting up.

“Shit. Giovanni!”

Running into the bathroom, panicking that something had happened, Gio nearly ran into her as she began to leave, “What? What is it? Is there something wrong with the baby, princess? Tell me...”

Laughing slightly and cutting him off, Ranvir replied, “Well if you’d hush for a moment I would. It’s 3:30. I should be leaving the house. I’m going to be late for work.”

“Actually Princess, you’d be five days early,” Gio began playing with the ring he’d just placed on his little finger. “I may have text your producer this morning and said that you wouldn’t be in for the rest of the week. And before you go mad, I’m doing this for our baby. Plus you can’t work when you’re throwing up every 20 minutes, can you Princess?”

“Well, I suppose not.” She leant up to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, darling.”

Smiling as he passed Ranvir her robe, Gio grabbed her hand after she’d put it on and they went downstairs.

A few hours of sitting on the sofa and reading, well for Ranvir anyway (Giovanni spent most of his time gaping at the small bump that was mostly obscured by Ranvir’s robe), later, Tushaan came into the living room and began looking Gio like he’d gone mad.

“What’s wrong with dad, mum?”

Gio looked up and his eyes sparkled as they did everytime Tushaan called him dad, it may have been six weeks since he’d adopted him but it was still so surreal to him. Gio beckoned Tushaan over excitedly as Ranvir rolled her eyes.

“Right, so dad’s insane then. Got it,” Tushaan muttered but walked over anyway.

Giovanni took his hand and placed it on Ranvir’s small bump. In much the same way Giovanni’s eyes lit up when he’d first felt it, Tushaan’s eyes did the same as he look at his mum with awe, “So there really is a baby in mum’s stomach. That’s pretty cool.”

Laughing at her boys, Ranvir batted both their hands away before going upstairs to get changed. As she stood in the mirror in her leggings and tee, she ran hand down her stomach before turning sideways to see the full extend of her small bump. 

Smiling, she whispered to herself, “Well, this is real and happening then. Better make the most of still fitting into my own clothes.”

By the time she came downstairs, Gio and Tushaan were trying to secretly sneak a couple of games on the Playstation without her realising. Ranvir stood in the doorway with her arms crossed before clearing her throat. Both boys jumped out of their skin at the announcement of Ranvir’s silent arrival.

“We weren’t…” Tushaan began.

“We never would. It was just…” Giovanni took over the attempted explanation.

“It was… dusty! Yeah. Dusty. We were cleaning,” Tushaan finally finished.

Ranvir raised an eyebrow, “Bullshit but alright. Come on, you two. Breakfast first then you can play.”

She ushered them out the room before going in to replace her book on the bookshelf. While she was occupied, Gio secretly took a photo of her, since her tee perfectly outlined her bump. He smirked to himself as he posted it as an Instagram story and captioned it simply with “No Espresso Martinis for this one for a while”.

He locked his phone, knowing the utter chaos he was about to cause, before walking over to Ranvir and wrapping his arms around her waist. The moment of bliss was broken, however, when a shout came from the kitchen:

“Mum! Can we have pancakes?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually cannot handle my desire for this to become a reality now.


	4. Overprotective Guys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby kicks for the first time. Gorka, Aljaz and Kai also make an appearance.

“Gonna be a dad then, huh?” Kai finally asked the question three out of the four guys sat in Giovanni and Ranvir’s living room were desperate to know.

“Yeah. Ranvi’s about 17 weeks along now, so she’s got a proper little bump now. She’s still at work which I’m not entirely happy about. I don’t want my Princess to hurt herself but she’s very insistent that she’s not made of glass. And her doctor said it was fine for her to work. She’s slightly high risk but we’re over the first trimester now so her risk of … well… yeah… is much lower than it was before,” Gio began gushing over the news he’d had to hold in for so long. 

Because of the possible risks associated with her pregnancy, Ranvir had wanted to wait until she was 12 weeks to tell anyone and this was the first time Gio had seen the guys face to face since texting them the news. Both Gorka and Aljaz had been on tour, Gio had opted out this year because he’d wanted to spend more time with his family, and Kai had been in Italy with his girlfriend for a month. Naturally, the guys were over the moon for him but it was nice to actually see them.

“Congrats mate. You’re gonna be exhausted though. Like well and truly knackered,” Gorka teased. “It’s worth it but say goodbye to sleep.”

Laughing, Gio replied “I’m already trained to Ranvir’s body clock which has been the same since Tushaan was born. Pretty sure we’ll be fine. “

“I think Janette might be as excited as you guys for this little one. She’s already been looking at cute baby outfits she can buy,” Aljaz offered, completely lying as he’d also been looking for outfits.

“She’s been looking on your phone has she?” Kai teased. “Or are you lying? Because I bet if we opened your phone right now, we’d find baby clothes.”

Aljaz playfully punched Kai in the arm as Gorka and Gio laughed.

“Honestly, you aren’t the only ones,” Gio offered. “I’m desperate to start buying things but Ranvir’s said not until we know the gender, which isn’t until she’s like basically about to give birth.”

Rolling his eyes at Gio’s dramatics, Gorka chimed in, “It’s three more weeks, drama queen. I think you can survive.”

Sighing dramatically, Gio leant back on the sofa and muttered, “An eternity.”

“Where is Ranvir anyways? I haven’t seen her since before we went on tour,” Aljaz questioned.

“Oh, she had a few meetings this morning and then I think Laura was dragging her out shopping for maternity clothes, which naturally Ranvi was thrilled about,” Gio responded.

“Already? She doesn’t look that big on GMB,” Gorka questioned.

“Oh, she isn’t. Laura’s just excited. Like really excited. You’d think it was her baby. Ranvir did mention that Laura was like this when Tushaan was born, spoilt him rotten.”

At that moment, the door opened and all four guys ran out into the hall. Ranvir turned from shutting the door and taking her coat off and rolled her eyes at the matching expressions on all four faces, while five if you included Schmizzles who had woken from where he was sleeping next to Gio on the sofa.

“Can I help you boys?” Ranvir asked, raising an eyebrow.

Gio stopped gazing at her and walked over to help her step out of her heels, “Yes Princess. You can go and get changed and then sit on the sofa where you belong.”

Ranvir rolled her eyes but went upstairs without complaining. She’d realised by now that there was no point trying to argue with the Italian; he wasn’t going to let her do anything and now he had backup in the form of Gorka, Kai and Aljaz; from the looks on their faces, they were about to be the exact same regarding her pregnancy.

After changing into a pair of leggings, irritatingly the only trousers she owned that still fit over her bump and she was refusing to be in maternity clothes yet, and a slightly oversized jumper, she gently rested her hand on her bump. She’d been feeling the baby move for a couple of weeks now but nothing substantial enough to be felt from the outside.

Well, until now. 

She looked down in shock as she felt the small push against her palm. She smiled as she felt the baby repeat the move over and over again. She’d forgotten the exact way this had felt for the first time with Tushaan. By the end of her pregnancy, she’d been cursing the day that boy had learnt to kick. But the first time, the first time was so surreal. There was another human inside her, growing and healthy. She couldn’t be more grateful to whichever of the Strictly producers that had paired her with Giovanni. 

She sighed contently at the thought of Gio. She could hardly believe the way that man had, literally, waltzed into her life and changed it. How he’d helped her more than years of therapy had, she’d never know but she did know that she was entirely grateful he had. He’d given her son a father, and her a baby. And most importantly, he was still here. He hadn’t left when she’d told him she was unexpectedly pregnant. Quite the opposite, he’d been happier than she’d ever expected him to be. He’d hardly stopped smiling since she told him and now there’d be no detaching his hand from her the second he felt his baby kicking.

Preparing herself for the excitable, yet still overprotective, nature of the four guys in her living room, she went downstairs and dropped down on the sofa next to Gio, her legs curled under her. Instinctively, Gio pulled her closer and resting his hand on her bump. As soon as he made contact, however, the baby decided to respond and kick his palm.

Gio jumped back in shock as Ranvir started laughing. He kept replacing and then removing his hand as if the bump kept burning him as the baby kept kicking him. Sensing what was happening, Gorka began laughing with Ranvir as the other three looked very confused and Schmizzles started barking at the chaos.

After finally catching both her breath and Giovanni’s constantly moving hand, she placed it on her bump and whispered, “It’s just the baby responding to your touch, darling. Little one’s learnt how to kick.”

Gio’s eyes lit up as he looked down at the bump, “That’s my baby,” he replied.

Gorka laughed, remembering the shock he’d felt the first time Mia had kicked, “Yeah, mate. It’s a bit more real now you can feel it.”

Gio nodded but broke out of his reverie and stood up, “Princess needs tea?” he questioned.

“Yes,” Ranvir replied, “but Princess can make her own tea.”

She began to stand up but Kai leant over and gently pushed her shoulder back down as Aljaz and Gorka shook their heads.

“Princess most certainly cannot,” Aljaz replied for Gio, as Giovanni went into the kitchen to make drinks for them. 

Ranvir rolled her eyes, “Guys, honestly, I’m pregnant. Not dying.”

Kai, who was previously sat next to Gio, leant over and placed a gentle hand on her bump, “It’s even more important that you stay relaxed then.”

The baby once again gently kicked as Kai laughed, “This one’s gonna be as active as its dad.”

“God, I hope for Ranvir’s sake you’re wrong. She’ll never stop getting kicked,” Aljaz responded. “But seriously, Ranvir. Gio’s about, like, three seconds away from stopping you working. He’s freaking out over this. You’re so precious to him, it’s unreal.”

Ranvir blushed in response, “Yeah, I know. He keeps threatening to.”

Gio came back in, somehow carrying five mugs of tea. Ranvir stood up to grab two of them and before he could protest, “Giovanni. It will not hurt me to hold two mugs of tea.”

He smiled sheepishly and kissed her cheek, “I just want to protect you and our baby, Princess.”

“I know my darling. And you are. Thank you.”

“Awwww.”

Both Ranvir and Gio turned to face the three guys sat there with matching expressions on their faces. Ranvir rolled her eyes and sat back down. 

“I’m so excited to be uncle Kai.”

Both Gorka and Aljaz nodded in agreement.

Ranvir giggled and rested her hand on her bump. This baby was already so loved and protected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two own my entire brain at the moment.


	5. 20 Weeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gender reveal.

Giovanni bounced his leg nervously as he sat with Ranvir in the hospital room waiting for her doctor. He was always nervous when speaking to her doctor; he was terrified something was going to happen to either her or the baby. Leaning over, Ranvir placed a gentle hand on his leg, stilling his movement. He gazed over at her and took her hand gently and kissed it. Ranvir had learnt very early on that he needed reassurance with things just as much she did herself and the easiest way to do that was with touch. 

“Darling, you know the baby’s alright. You can feel it,” Ranvir reassured him while gently rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand.

Gio nodded but still looked unsure so Ranvir put her hand on her bump and held it there for a few seconds before Gio felt a hard kick into his palm. He laughed and gently rubbed over where the kick had come from and muttered soothingly in Italian.

An hour or so later, they were back at home with Ranvir safely on the sofa, almost the second the got through the door. Ranvir rolled her eyes as she thought of how protective the Italian had become. She was convinced that one day he was going to stop her from walking anyway and insist on carrying her. Currently, he was sat excitedly planning how to tell everyone about the news they had just found out. Ranvir didn’t understand why they couldn’t just text them but Gio was determined to do it extravagantly. She was pretty much leaving him to it; the only condition was that she was not under any circumstances going to be having a bloody gender reveal party, or any party for that matter. 

Ranvir glanced up at the clock and noticed that she needed to go and pick Tushaan up from school. Thankfully, with Ranvir agreeing to only do reduced hours at GMB and absolutely no standing in Westminster, Gio was alright with her going to pick him up. She walked into the kitchen, rolling her eyes at the Italian excitedly scrolling through ideas on his laptop and kissed him on the cheek before grabbing her car keys and leaving.

Tushaan looked shocked when he saw his mum waiting for him but ran up to her anyway. He hugged her as tight as he could at the moment without hurting the baby and getting a kick in response. Laughing, Tushaan tapped her bump back before looking up at his mum.

“So, dad’s finally let you out the house then?”

“Oh, hush you. You know he’s just worried about me. And don’t act like you aren’t happy I’m not working as much.”

Tushaan climbed into the car while replying, “Never said I didn’t agree with him. How was the doctors anyway?”

Ranvir laughed, “I’ve already told you. Gio’s desperate to tell everyone the gender and that includes you, so you can wait like everyone else has to.”

Tushaan pouted but dropped the subject until they got home, at which point he promptly ran into the kitchen and started begging Gio to tell him.

Ravir rolled her eyes and walked into the room where her eldest child was currently begging.

“Daddddddd, pleaseeeeee.”

“Not yet, little man. In about an hour or so though. Now go and change before your mum flips out about your uniform getting messy.”

“Your dad’s right. Go and get changed otherwise I’ll make you wait another day before finding out,” Ranvir’s voice drifted into the kitchen from where she was stood in the doorway. 

At that threat, Tushaan dropped his argument and went upstairs to get changed as Gio and Ranvir laughed at his panicked expression. Ranvir walked over and sat next to Gio so she could rest her head on his shoulder. 

“So, who’s coming round in an hour then?”

Gio smiled sheepishly, “Well, maybe just a few people. But they are like staggered. But Kai and Gorka will be here in a minute…”

The doorbell cut Gio’s sentence off. Ranvir rolled her eyes and stood up to answer the door. 

As she opened the door, she was hugged by two very excitable guys who both promptly got kicked by the overactive baby.

Both Gorka and Kai looked down and laughed.

“Little one still taking after daddy then?” Kai asked as they went into the kitchen.

“Unfortunately,” Ranvir rolled her eyes.

“Or maybe little one just doesn’t want anyone to be touching mummy,” Gorka offered. 

“Still pretty similar to dad, then,” Kai laughed.

“Oi. I can hear you, you know,” Gio shouted.

“That’s because we’re in the same room,” Kai replied sarcastically.

Ranvir’s phone went off and upon unlocking it, she was greeted with about 50 messages from Laura and Susanna. Ranvir rolled her eyes and began replying to them before giving up and just telling them to come over.

The door bell went instantaneously and Ranvir went to answer it.

“So how long have you two weirdos been stood outside my house then?” Ranvir questioned the two women as they enveloped her in a tight hug.

“Ten minutes maybe,” Susanna replied smiling. “It was Laura’s idea though.”

“Hey! I just wanted to see my angel and her unborn…. Son?”

Ranvir shook her head and laughed, “Baby, Lau. I’m not telling yet. I’m pretty sure Gio’s not done inviting people round.”

Giovanni appeared behind her, “And where do you get that idea from?”

“Well the fact that Janette’s car has just parked outside for one,” Ranvir laughed and kissed his cheek before opening the door. “I still don’t know how you’re telling everyone… and why can I hear the playstation on before homework has been done?” Her voice raised at the end.

There was a sound of chaos from the living room as Kai, Gorka and Tushaan attempted to hurriedly turn off the TV before Ranvir came into the room. The three of them tried to act very casual, hiding the controllers but naturally she saw them.

“Come on,” she put her hand out, “you boys can play after Tushaan’s done his homework. You know… it would be quicker if you helped him.”

Aljaz came in with Tushaan’s schoolbag and Gio had a handful of pens. The five of them sat down and quickly pulled out Tushaan’s homework and began to work. Laughing, Ranvir pulled the girls into the kitchen.

“I have no idea how you do that,” Janette muttered in disbelief. 

“They act like children. Reason with them like children,” Ranvir offered.

Laura had already began making tea as Susanna was scanning the room for the telltale envelope that contain Ranvir’s ultrasound.

“It’s not in here,” Ranvir announced. 

“Goddamn it,” Susanna mumbled.

Laura placed the four mugs of tea on the table before noticing what was written on Ranvir’s. She did a double take and squealed. Ranvir smiled as she nearly fell over from the force of Laura’s hug.

“Christ, Laura. Careful with the pregnant woman,” Janette giggled as she placed a hand on Ranvir’s lower back to steady her. “What’s with you anyway?”

Gio came into the room with five sheets of messy handwriting followed by the other four. 

“Finished!” The five of them exclaimed with matching expressions.

“Good. But, Laura knows so you may as well tell everyone, darling,” Ranvir replied.

Everyone’s eyes locked on both Ranvir and Gio.

Laughing, Gio just smiled and stayed silent.

“You’re such a drama queen, Giovanni,” Ranvir chastised playfully, “and honestly if you read the mug you don’t have to wait for him. I have no idea how or when he got that since we only found out today but I have a feeling there’s another one hiding somewhere.”

They all turned to read Ranvir’s mug and got the same message staring back at them:

“Little Princess” written in gold across a pink mug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I tried to avoid cliches with this one but then settle for a cliche anyway so...


	6. Late Night Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ranvir has late night cravings.

Ranvir awoke with a start and glanced over at the clock sat on her bedside table. Groaning as she read the time as 4 in the morning and rubbing her hand over her growing bump, Ranvir tried to figure out what she was awake at this time for. Since she stopped working last month Ranvir hadn’t been waking this early, well Giovanni hadn’t been letting her wake this early, particularly not after her last doctors appointment when her midwife had been slightly worried about sleep deprivation. It was all Ranvir could do to stop Gio enforcing a nap time like she was a bloody child.

As Ranvir rested her hand lightly on her bump, she looked down at the sleeping Italian next to her whose hand had slipped down to her lap from where it was previously resting on her bump. She watched the methodical movement of his chest with his breathing and thought back to how much her life had changed in the past year. 

A year ago today she was spinning round a ballroom floor in an apron to “She Used to Be Mine”. Ranvir smiled at the memory of Giovanni’s gentle hands on her back as he guided her around the floor, the way he’d pulled her into his arms backstage, the look on his face when she’d finally told him she loved him. They’d gone and seen Waitress together as soon as it reopened and, although Ranvir already knew the storyline and loved the soundtrack, she still could not figure out the character Gio was meant to have played; part of her thinks he doesn’t know either.

It was almost staggering to think of everything that had happened since that dance. They’d spent their first Christmas together; Tushaan had been so excited when she’d told him that Gio was spending Christmas there, he’d also called them out on their relationship that weekend. Luckily, he was incredibly happy to have Gio more permanently in his life and Giovanni was more than happy to take on the responsibility of a son. The lockdown that followed Christmas was difficult for them both but he’d got Kai and she’d got her son and they got through it. He’d moved in shortly after that lockdown was lifted, saying he never wanted to leave her side. 

She nearly laughed when she thought back to watching Gio and Kai’s lives on Instagram, particularly his reaction to pineapple on pizza…

Suddenly, Ranvir felt a hard kick to her stomach when she thought of pineapple. She placed a hand on her bump and silently agreed with baby.

“Baby girl, I want pineapple too but I don’t think we have any in the house.”

The only thought going through Ranvir’s head now was her overwhelming desire for pineapple. Silently sliding out of bed, Ranvir grabbed one of Gio’s shirts and slipped it on over her vest top; at 33 weeks pregnant, Giovanni’s shirts were the most comfortable things to wear over a vest top. As she climbed down the stairs, she kept continuously rubbing her bump in an attempt to calm the baby who had now decided to practice somersaults which resulted in her getting frequently kicked just under her ribcage. 

While she was preoccupied looking through the cupboards for anything pineapple flavoured, even Hawaiian pizza (not that there was any; Giovanni refused to even have it in the house), Ranvir didn’t notice Giovanni’s presence in the doorway watching her with an amused look on his face.

“Princess? What on earth are you doing at 4:30 looking through cupboards?”

Ranvir startled slightly at the sound of his voice but didn’t stop practically emptying the cupboard she was in while responding, “I’m looking for pineapple, Giovanni. Isn’t it obvious?”

Giovanni, clearly anticipating that there was one reason she was in the kitchen this early, was already dressed and began pulling his shoes on. He walked over to Ranvir and wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands resting on her bump.

“And is there anything else little madam wants, hmm?” Giovanni was more addressing the rapidly kicking baby, rather than Ranvir.

“Lots of pineapple, definitely. Caramel hot chocolate. Marshmallows. Oooh, and cherries.” Ranvir turned in Giovanni’s arms and kissed him gently. “I love you, you know.”

Gio smiled and kissed her forehead, “I love you too, Princess. Now. Sofa and I’ll be back in half hour.”

Giovanni guided Ranvir in the direction of the living room and grabbed his coat and car keys. As Gio left, Ranvir dropped onto the sofa and picked up her book and began to read, praying that her incessant hunger would subside a little with a distraction.

She became that absorbed in her book, she barely registered Giovanni’s return until he sat next to her with a huge bowl full of pineapple slices, cherries he’d already taken the stone out of for her and marshmallows and a mug of caramel hot chocolate. At the site of the food, Ranvir’s eyes lit up and she lent over and kissed him hard before taking the bowl and eating happily.

Giovanni simply gazed at her in awe. He had his princess, who was growing his daughter, and a son upstairs asleep. He’d do anything to keep them happy, even go shopping at 4:30 in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this one. Lockdown's working hard to ruin my mental health but Ranvanni are working harder to save it ngl.


	7. Overdue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ranvir is heavily pregnant and very fed up

“42 weeks, Giovanni! 42 bloody weeks!”

“I know, Ranvi. I know,” Giovanni sighed and gently rubbed her lower back as she winced in pain. 

Ranvir’s back had been killing her for about 10 weeks now which was entirely expected as she was carrying around 8 extra pounds on her stomach but Giovanni still felt terrible. No one had warned him about this part. The part where he had to watch his Princess in pain because of him. Her back hurt, her neck hurt, her hips hurt, her migraines had become worse and more frequent and all in all she just felt like shit. 

And to make matters worse, she was now two weeks overdue and very bored of being pregnant and uncomfortable.

“For fucks sake!” Ranvir’s cursing could generally be heard throughout the house and almost any and every hour of the day. “If this child kicks me one more fucking time.”

Luckily, Tushaan was staying with her sister for a week, and Gio was incredibly grateful the kid couldn’t hear his mother’s language. He gently stroked her bump, silently pleading with his daughter to relax and stop fidgeting before Ranvir loses her mind. 

Ranvir slouched on the sofa in a vain attempt to find a more comfortable position than sitting upright. She settled for lying against the arm with her legs over Giovanni’s lap as he comfortingly stroked them. Sighing softly, Ranvir gazed at the Italian who had already done so much for her. She felt awful for how shitty she was being and had apologised every moment of respite she had. Unfortunately, her discomfort and boredom got directed outward and as Giovanni was the only company she had right now, he bore the brunt of her behaviour. She didn’t blame him, per say. Although, it was him who got her pregnant but she had also been a more than willing participant in that particular act. With that thought, Ranvir giggled under her breath which caught Gio’s attention. 

“What’s on your mind, Princess?”

“Nothing important, darling. Just thinking about the conception of this little shit.” Ranvir was originally going to use an affectionate term but the baby decided the kick her repeatedly in the bladder so she changed her mind. “I swear this child is a fucking demonic creature. She’s going to be born with horns.”

Giovanni shook his head affectionately, “No, Princess. She’s going to be born absolutely gorgeous because she’s your daughter. And then she’ll grow up to be a genius just like you.”

Ranvir burst out laughing, “Well let’s just hope she has her father’s enjoyment of exercise then. Because mum here fucking hates it.”

Gio sat silently brooding over whether he should ask this question or not. Deciding to just go for it, he questioned:

“When do you think she’ll get here?”

“I’m really not sure, darling. But if it’s not in the next few days, I will carve her out with a butter knife if she keeps fucking kicking me.”

Gio laughed and put a hand on her bump and murmured lovingly to the baby, “Mummy doesn’t mean it, baby girl. You’re just hurting mummy a lot. Do we think you can let mummy have a little nap for an hour or two?”

Almost like magic, the second Giovanni laid a hand on her bump the baby stopped moving and settled as comfortably as possible. Ranvir raised an eyebrow and starting turning something over in her head as Gio watched her with that loving, soft look in his eyes that he always had. 

Ranvir stood up, relatively quickly for a 42 week pregnant woman. “Come on. I’m having a nap and since baby only shuts up when you’re around, you’re coming too and if you so much as consider moving your hand off this bump, you will lose it. Am I understood?”

Gio gulped, fully believing that in her current state Ranvir would most definitely remove his hand, and nodded. If you’d have asked him if a 5’2” pregnant woman would be more terrifying than a serial killer a year ago, he’d have put you in an institution but right now he couldn’t think of anything scarier. 

After what seemed like forever to Ranvir, as stairs had become quite the obstacle, she lay down on the bed and curled into her multitude of pillows which she had taken to sleeping with. Giovanni lay down beside her and wrapped his arms around her stomach, making sure to firmly place his hand on her bump, this time under her, well his, shirt feeling the warmth of her bare skin seep into his palm. Kissing her shoulder gently, he began to quietly murmur affectionately in Italian to soothe her and baby and lull her off to sleep. As he lay there feeling and watching Ranvir breathe, he ran over the past year and a half in his mind. 

Being stuck in lockdown he had taken to obsessively watching the news and had taken a particular liking to GMB, well more specifically a certain presenter and political editor of GMB. Smiling to himself, he remembered the way he’d thirsted after her in those tight, and occasionally ungodly, dresses but also been enthralled by her mind. He’d thought he was safe doing this from a distance. And he was, until she’d joined Strictly and some strange part of his brain compelled him to beg the producers to pair them together, something that never usually worked but on this occasion, by some miracle, had. Ironically, their first meeting had been in the Italian Gardens of Stonor Park and as they walked around, him holding both her and her new puppy, something clicked and just felt right but he’d just simply ignored those intrusive thoughts and presumed it was just that they got on.

The first three weeks of training and performing had passed by reasonably smoothly, of course apart from their 20 minute divorce (a word he now refused to even utter) in week 1, and then the Cha Cha had happened. Giovanni remembered sitting there on that sofa feeling utterly helpless as Ranvir poured her soul out to him about her twat of an ex-husband, the way he’d left her and made her feel and how much she hated herself. By the end of Ranvir’s self-deprecating monologue Giovanni’s cheeks had been wet with tears and he pulled her close to him and didn’t let go for a good 20 minutes. Although the dance may not have been technically perfect, he’d never been more proud in his life. Then, that Argentine Tango happened, and well, he couldn’t control himself and thankfully neither could she.

The rest of Strictly felt like a blur of romance and beauty which bled into Christmas and New Years spent wrapped in each others arms in front of a fire, only to be shattered by a three month long lockdown apart. Giovanni’s decision to move in shortly after this was lifted had been the easiest choice he’d ever made. Of course, he’d felt awful leaving Kai behind but Kai’s girlfriend had been talking about moving back to the UK more permanently so that had softened the guilt he had felt a slight bit but he simply couldn’t be away from his Princess and son any longer. 

Before Giovanni’s mind could drift to his plans for proposing, Ranvir sat up and placed her hands panickedly on her stomach. Giovanni sat up, a wave of worry flashing across his face and Ranvir winced in pain. 

“What…?”

Before Giovanni could finish his question, Ranvir cut him off, “You remember how you asked me when I thought she’d get here? Well the answer is pretty fucking soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, baby makes an appearance in the next chapter, which will be up as soon as I figure out a name for said baby.


	8. Finally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby makes an appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Descriptions of childbirth (not graphic but it's mentioned) so if that's not your thing, this chapter can be skipped over.

The colour drained from Giovanni’s face with Ranvir’s words. Panic flooded his brain as he realised the weight behind what she’d just said. He was about to be a father. Ranvir was actually having his baby and it was about to happen. Right now. 

He leapt up from the bed and began pacing around the room panickedly, pulling on a pair of jeans instead of his joggers and grabbed a change of clothes for Ranvir for afterwards and started throwing things into a bag, completely oblivious to Ranvir who was currently still reclining on the bed laughing at his complete freak out.

“Giovanni!”

He turned around at Ranvir’s voice and looked very confused at her calm demeanour. 

“What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you panicking? You’re going to give birth in a minute,” Giovanni’s panicked tone simply made Ranvir laugh more.

“Relax, my darling. It could be hours before little one makes an appearance. The only thing I need right now is some paracetamol and a cuddle. We don’t have to go anywhere until my contractions are 5 minutes apart. Take a deep breath, darling, it’s fine,” Ranvir’s voice flooded over Giovanni and felt like a calming wave.

Gio took a couple of deep breaths before going to their bathroom and grabbing Ranvir’s paracetamol and a glass of water. He glanced at himself in the mirror and laughed under his breath at the ridiculousness of the scenario. Surely he was the one who was supposed to be comforting Ranvir and telling her to take deep breaths; but then again she did have more experience in this particular area. He’d never even seen accurate portrayals of birth in TV shows or movies, let alone had any experience; the closest he’d come was visiting his sister a couple of hours after she’d had his niece. 

But this was different. This was his baby. His Princess who was about to be in excruciating pain. Ranvir had reassured him everything would be fine but he’d seen far too many shows where things had gone wrong. Yes, they were fiction but entirely possible. What if something bad happened to his Princess? Could he raise two children alone? 

A tear dropped down his cheek as he wondered whether or no he’d been selfish in wanting another baby. Would it be worth it if he lost Ranvir along the way? Should he have asked her to consider having another baby? If something happened it would be his fault.

He jumped as he felt Ranvir place a gentle hand on his back.

“Darling, please relax. Nothing’s going to happen to me or the baby. Everything’s going to go perfectly,” she reached a gentle hand up to wipe away the tears from his cheeks. “I promise you.”

Giovanni grabbed her hand and gently kissed the palm. Somehow she always knew when he needed reassurance and comfort.

“I love you so much, Princess,” Giovanni’s Italian accent came out much more pronounced through his emotional tremour.

“I love you too, Giovanni.”

Gio smiled and passed her the paracetamol as Ranvir once again winced and placed a hand on the sink to steady herself. Once the contraction had passed, Ranvir quickly swallowed two tablets and gently rubbed her stomach.

“I forgot how much this hurts,” Ranvir muttered. “God it feels like being stabbed.”

Gio took her hand and led her back to the bed, reclining on the pillows with her head on his shoulder. Gio leant over and grabbed Ranvir’s book before opening it to the page her bookmark was in.

Ranvir giggled slightly and took it off him, “Darling, you haven’t read any of it. It’ll just confuse you.” She passed him the next book in her ever growing TBR pile. “Try this one instead.”

Gio smiled goofily and began to read, pausing every ten minutes when Ranvir winced in pain, her contractions becoming longer and more pronounced. 

After about two hours of this, Ranvir grabbed Giovanni’s hand and cursed loudly. Running her free hand through her hair, she glanced up at Gio who was looking concernedly down at her silently questioning if they needed to go. Nodding repeatedly, Ranvir sat up straight and tied her hair back in a messy bun, knowing from past experience she was going to need it up. 

Giovanni quickly grabbed a bag and a pair of leggings but changed his mind when he saw the way Ranvir’s eyes widened and instead opted for a dark blue flowy knee length dress which Ranvir nodded slightly at. 

About half an hour later, Ranvir was sat on a hospital bed in a considerably better mood due to the high strength painkillers they’d given her but Giovanni was still pacing and panicking. Ranvir couldn’t for the life of her understand why they don’t give the partners some kind of drug as a relaxant; she was getting sick watching Gio walking backwards and forwards. As he passed her for the hundredth time, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer to her, forcing him to sit on the edge of the bed.

While gently caressing the back of his hand, she murmured, “If you don’t stop pacing I will be sick. And if I get down on the floor to be sick in a toilet, I sure as hell won’t be getting back up, darling. So, sit down. Everything’s fine. I’m only 6cm dilated so it’s gonna be a long ass day if you keep panicking.”

Giovanni laughed quietly. How Ranvir made everything sound so calming, he’d never know. He gently rubbed her bump, considering how much his life was about to change. There’d be a newborn baby in the house. He’d be a father again; he was, of course, already Tushaan’s father. This year he’d decided to copy Gorka’s decision to sit out of Strictly, other than group dances, he wanted to look after his family. 

Glancing at his phone, Giovanni noted that it actually would have been semi-final day and by the sounds of what the doctor was saying baby would be here much later on, probably during the show. Giovanni thanked God that he’d seen sense and pulled out this year because he had no idea what he’d do if Ranvir had gone into labour when he was meant to be in the semi-final. Well, he did but he also knew it wouldn’t have been a popular choice, he’d have dropped out. He wanted to be there when his baby was born and nothing, not even a chance at the glitterball, would stop him from being there. 

A shooting pain travelled down Ranvir’s spine and she cursed loudly, grabbing at the pillow on the bed. Giovanni instantly untangled her fingers from the pillow for fear she’d hurt herself and intertwined his with hers instead. He winced slightly as her grasp tightened but covered it, feeling rather sheepish that Ranvir was in this much pain and he was wincing at a grip. As the pain lessened, Gio kissed the back of her hand and stroked it with his thumb, whispering reassuringly in Italian.

Within an hour, Ranvir’s contractions were only two minutes apart and her painkillers weren’t working as effectively as before. Giovanni couldn’t help but be impressed by the strings of curse words and insults Ranvir was still managing to throw out articulately; by this point, he’d probably have passed out, let alone be coherent. Ranvir’s grip on his hand had turned it a nice shade of red, nearly matching the one sleeve of her Argentine Tango dress. As yet another contraction worked its way down Ranvir’s spine and wrapped around her hips, Gio pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and stroked a stray tendril of hair off her cheek. 

“I fucking hate you, Giovanni Pernice!”

Gio nodded, having previously heard this and knowing full well that this would not be the last time he heard it today, “I know, Princess. I’m the worst.”

Ranvir nodded in agreement and gripped his hand harder. By this point a nurse had reappeared and warned them that Ranvir would need to push in about half an hour. Giovanni panicked internally but nodded. Ranvir looked pissed off that it was going to be another 30 minutes; she just wanted the baby out now.

Having a moment’s reprieve from the contractions, Ranvir turned to Giovanni and stroked his cheek gently, completely contrasting her professing her hatred of him a few minutes earlier. They’d naturally discussed things that Ranvir may possibly say when she’s in labour and of course, he knew that she meant none of them. 

By the time the nurse came back in and told Ranvir she needed to push, Ranvir was more than ready to commit homicide. Giovanni sat more comfortably and leant back on the bed so that Ranvir could lean into his chest so as to support her back and she grabbed tightly onto his hand.

Her grip tightened inexplicably and her curses reached a crescendo with every push and she fell back in relief against Gio’s chest at the end of every push. Giovanni kept soothingly whispering in Italian and pushing stray pieces of hair that had fallen out of bun away from her face.   
“Last push, Princess. Come on, my love. I’m so proud of you, Princess. I love you so much.” 

Giovanni’s voice cut through the agony Ranvir was feeling and allowed her logical side to push through the pain which shrouded her brain currently. She knew that he wasn’t lying. She could sure as hell feel that he wasn’t lying. One more time and it would be over. She just needed a fucking minute to regain some kind of strength and she snapped as such at the Italian who merely smiled and kissed the side of her head.

With a final loud curse and hard push, Ranvir fell back fluidly against Giovanni and the loud cry of a newborn baby joined her heavy breathing.


	9. Baby Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Directly after the birth of the baby, Giovanni adjusts to having a daughter.

As Ranvir lay flat on the hospital bed with her eyes closed, breathing deeping, Giovanni’s arms shook slightly as the nurse placed the squirming little girl wrapped in a blanket into them. He looked down at his daughter and his eyes filled with tears. He’d always imagined having a child but he could never have prepared himself for the way this felt. The way holding his baby made his heart swell and his already overwhelming love for the little girl practically doubled, he didn’t have the vocabulary either in English, Italian or the three other languages he spoke. But he knew that nothing would ever compare to this feeling.

Shifting the little baby closer to his chest and more comfortably into his right arm, he sat on the edge of the hospital bed and pressed a gentle kiss to Ranvir’s head as the nurse took her vitals to make sure she was recovering okay from the ordeal. As Ranvir rolled her eyes as the nurse fretting over her slightly low blood pressure, which she kept reassuring the nurse was entirely normal for her, Giovanni lightly shook his head and kept his eyes on his daughter.

“Mummy’s acting like she hasn’t just pushed another human out of her body, sweetheart,” he whispered softly to the little girl who in response stopped squirming as much and looked up with wide eyes at the Italian. 

Ranvir smiled as she watched the way Giovanni interacted with their daughter; she couldn’t believe she had ever doubted that this man would have wanted the baby. She reached over and picked up her phone and her notifications were flooded with messages. Sighing, Ranvir ignored them and opted instead for quickly scrolling through Twitter and her private Instagram feed, most of the Strictly pros, other celebs, and her co-workers all have private social media feeds so they can interact normally with each other without worrying about the media. 

While Ranvir was scrolling through her phone, Giovanni couldn’t take his eyes off the little girl in his arms. Her tiny face scrunched up and she began to cry loudly. Gio looked over concernedly at Ranvir who simply put her phone down and gently took the baby from him.

“Hey now. Shush, little one,” Ranvir began to whisper in a soft voice. “It’s alright. I know, baby girl, I know.” She glanced over at Giovanni, who still looked concerned. “She’s just hungry, darling. She’s alright.”

Ranvir adjusted the way she was holding her so that she could breastfeed the baby. Giovanni just watched his girls in awe of how natural Ranvir was at this; he realised he had quite a lot to learn about parenting. He leant over and gently kissed the side of Ranvir’s head.

“Well, darling?” Ranvir turned her head to look at him. “What’s her name?”

Giovanni looked shocked. “You… You don’t mind me naming her?”

Ranvir giggled softly, trying not to move and jolt the baby, “Darling, I told you that you could. And besides I’ve already seen the list of names on your phone and I like them all so,”

Giovanni smiled and gently stroked the baby’s cheek, “Mariella Aurora. They were always my favourites.”

Ranvir smiled, “Wished for and dawn. That’s sweet.”

Giovanni looked taken aback, “You know what they mean?”

Ranvir rolled her eyes, “Of course, darling. I’ve read a lot of books.”

At that moment, Mariella decided she was done eating and turned to look up at Ranvir. Ranvir gently traced her cheek with the back of her index finger and Ella squirmed into her mother’s touch. Ranvir marvelled at the way the baby was a perfect mix of the two of them; she had Ranvir’s dark hair and face shape but Giovanni’s eyes. Ranvir leant down and kissed her head, silently thanking god that Mariella was smaller than Tushaan had been and also her labour had been much much shorter. 

The doctors were concerned by Ranvir’s weight during her pregnancy but Mariella was born a healthy, but slightly small 6lbs 7oz, Ranvir’s labour only lasting 13 hours this time around. The only reason the doctors were concerned was the comparison to her previous pregnancy as Tushaan had been 7lbs 8oz at birth but Ranvir was incredibly glad this little one had taken more after her than her father in this case.

It was nearing 11pm and Mariella was only a couple of hours old when she had her first facetime call outside of family; Tushaan, who was now with Kyra, had been very excited at the site of his baby sister through the screen and after many promises from all three adults that Kyra would bring Tushaan up to the hospital in the morning, despite the fact that Ranvir had been told she would be able to go home tomorrow afternoon, Tushaan finally agreed to go to bed.

Giovanni’s phone began ringing as Gorka was trying to facetime him; through all the chaos and excitement, Gio had forgotten that Gorka, Aljaz and Janette had all made it to the semis on Strictly this year. After glancing over at a freshly-showered Ranvir for permission, Giovanni answered the phone, apologising profusely for not having text them good luck earlier.

“Ah no worries mate. We presumed you were just busy and…” Gorka began before being cut off by Janette.

“Wait! That’s a hospital room! Is Ranvir okay? What about the baby?” Janette’s voice panickedly echoed through the speaker as Giovanni rushed to turn his volume down before it woke Mariella who was currently sleeping peacefully in Ranvir’s arms.

“Janette, shush, please. Everything’s fine. Ranvir’s completely fine. Baby’s fine,” Giovanni reassured them all.

“Doesn’t explain the hospital room,” Aljaz chimed in.

Ranvir laughed quietly, “Giovanni! Did you not tell your best friends!”

Giovanni went over and sat on the arm of the chair Ranvir was currently sat in; she had refused to stay in bed any longer. 

“I’m sorry, Princess. I was slightly occupied with the incoming child.”

Giovanni’s statement was met with a collection of hushed and excited gasps, heightened only by the fact that Giovanni then angled his camera down to show them the sleeping girl.

“Oh, she’s so gorgeous guys,” Aljaz’s choked voice came first.

“She’s adorable,” Gorka followed up with.

“I’m 100% going to steal her, you know that right?” Janette chimed in.

“Oh, yeah. I know,” Ranvir laughed. 

They talked for an hour or so before Mariella decided she was hungry again and woke up crying. Once again promising three very excited adults this time that they could come over when they were all home, Giovanni hung up the phone and looked over at Ranvir who was once again feeding their baby.

Smiling gently at the sight of them, Giovanni went over to join his girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I obsess over the name until I found an Italian name with the correct meaning? Entirely, yes.


	10. Domesticity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little snippet of home life with a new baby.

Ranvir sighed as she rocked her crying daughter in an attempt to soothe her. Mariella had been crying for four hours straight now; she was running a slight fever, nothing concerning but clearly uncomfortable for the little girl. She had begun to quieten when the doorbell rang, once again triggering her to begin screaming. 

“I told you not to ring the doorbell, Kai!” Gorka’s hushed shout drifted through the hall as Giovanni went to open the door.

Ranvir cradled her daughter closer to her as she whispered to her, “Uncle Gorka and Uncle Kai are here, sweetie. Can we maybe stop crying for them?”

Mariella blinked up at her mother with eyes that perfectly matched the shade of Gio’s. Ranvir smiled and stroked her cheek gently before grabbing Ella’s blanket and going downstairs to greet the very excited men in the living room.

As she walked in, Kai looked up sheepishly, “Sorry about the doorbell, Ranvi.”

Ranvir rolled her eyes, “It’s alright, Kai. it’s not entirely your fault. Little one’s running a slight fever.” Noting the panic on the three faces in front of her, she added, “It’s a common thing within a week or two of birth. Relax.”

Giovanni’s shoulders visibly dropped as he reached after and took the baby out of Ranvir’s arms gently, cooing to her as he did so. Ranvir adjusted Mariella’s blanket around her in Giovanni’s arms before going to make the guys some drinks.

Gorka looked over at the alert baby in Gio’s arms and smiled while Kai was just staring in awe. 

“There’s an actual baby,” Kai muttered in disbelief. “Ranvir actually let you get her pregnant and now there’s a baby.”

Gorka laughed, “Of course there’s a baby, you fool. But I agree with you on one point: I can’t believe Ranvir let you get her pregnant.”

“Oh, it was tragic,” Ranvir reappeared and placed the cups on the coffee table before sitting on the arm of the sofa by Giovanni. “I don’t know how I managed it honestly.”

Giovanni pouted up at her as Gorka and Kai laughed manically in the background. Ranvir rolled her eyes and leant down at kissed the pout from Gio’s face. When they broke apart, the pout had been replaced by a goofy smile. Kai and Gorka made gagging sounds in the background as the doorbell went again, making Mariella jump and scrunch her face up.

Kai sprinted to the front door and immediately began chastising whoever was at the door for ringing the bell; “didn’t they realise there was a newborn in the house!”

“Naturally, I know that my best friend had a baby.”

Laughing at Laura’s bluntness, Susanna chimed in, “Really, Kai? I had no idea Ranvir was even pregnant.”

Kai returned to the living room with the two laughing women following him. Laura, having been on holiday when Ranvir went into labour, hadn’t seen her for almost a month now. She hugged Ranvir with such force she nearly lifted her off the ground.

“It’s good to see you too, Lau,” Ranvir giggled.

Laura smiled widely and then the little girl in Gio’s arms caught her eye. Looking down at the little girl who stared back at her, Laura’s face softened before glancing up at Giovanni for permission. Nodding gently, Gio passed the baby over to Laura, who cradled her close to her chest.

“Oh, she’s so much smaller than Tushaan was.”

Ranvir laughed, “At least you’re not crying this time.”

“Don’t speak too soon, Ranvi,” Laura’s voice came out slightly choked as both women laughed.

Laura looked over at Ranvir and they both silently agreed that so much had changed since they were last in this position. The first time they’d met at been at a meeting for GMB when it was still Daybreak back in 2012; Ranvir had been 7 months pregnant and recently divorced. They’d clicked pretty quickly and Laura had been one of the first people to see Tushaan after his birth, just as Ranvir had been one of the first people to see Charlotte after her birth.

Susanna pulled Ranvir into the kitchen, under the gise of making another drink, and hugged her close, whispering in her ear, “Are you seriously okay? You gave birth a week ago, be honest with me Ranvi,”

Ranvir nodded, “Honestly, Susanna, I’m alright. The pain went after four days, granted I’m a little tired but nothing more than usual. I was more concerned about how Tushaan would adjust to having a sister but he’s been amazing with her. Speaking of which, I really need to go and pick him up from school.”

“No need,” Giovanni’s voice came across from the doorway. “I hope you don’t mind but Aljaz and Janette said they wanted to come over and they pass his school so I asked them to pick him up.”

“You better have thanked them, you little shit. They’re not a taxi for us. You asked them to pick up a delivery two days ago,” Ranvir teased him.

Giovanni rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as Susanna giggled.

An hour later, Gorka had left to pick Mia up from nursery (this got Giovanni a pointed look from Ranvir) and Susanna had to get back home to make sure that her youngest son was actually doing his homework. Laura had decided that she was going to “help” Tushaan with his Geography homework, which translated to explaining random weather phenomena to him; however, Tushaan was rather interested in what she was saying and he was learning things so Ranvir let them be. Janette had fully kidnapped Mariella and was telling her all the things they were going to do together when she was bigger. Aljaz and Kai had hijacked the TV to watch the football, leaving Ranvir and Giovanni to essentially hide out in the kitchen.

Ranvir was sat on the counter in the kitchen sipping her coffee with Giovanni leaning next to her.

“God, I’ve missed my coffee,” Ranvir sighed contentedly. 

Gio laughed and leant forward to kiss her, swallowing her surprised gasp. Ranvir blindly placed her coffee next to them as Giovanni stepped between her legs. Pulling back for air, Giovanni moved his kisses down her jaw and neck. Biting back a moan, Ranvir placed her hand on Gio’s chest, slightly pushing him away.

“Darling, we can’t. Not for a month,”

“A month! Like a whole month?”

Ranvir laughed and draped her arms around his neck, “Well I did just have a baby. It’ll fly by.” She has half trying to convince herself as well.

Aljaz coughed in the doorway, “Sorry to interrupt but Ella’s crying.”

Jumping down off the side, Ranvir went into the living room and Janette hurriedly placed Mariella in her arms.

“We didn’t. I don’t know what happened. I promise,” Janette sounded panicked.

“Relax, Janette,” Gio placed a hand on her arm. “Ella’s hungry, that’s all. It is dinner time for her.”

Ranvir excused herself and went upstairs into Mariella’s room to feed her. Sitting on the armchair in the corner opposite her crib, Ranvir settled Ella more comfortably into her arms. Her eyes scanned across the pink and gold room, at Giovanni’s insistence, settling on a recent photo of Mariella and Tushaan. It was the first time Tushaan had held her and Ranvir smiled at the memory. He’d been so excited and practically jumped onto the hospital bed next to his mum. When Ranvir suggested he hold Mariella, Tushaan’s entire face had lit up and gently cradled her with some assistance from his mum. Giovanni had managed to capture the exact moment Mariella had gazed up and met Tushaan’s eyes. 

Blinking back stinging tears, Ranvir cleaned both her and Mariella up as Mariella squirmed and yawned. Walking up and down the room, rocking the baby, Ranvir sung “Once Upon A Dream” softly to her. Mariella’s green eyes became heavy and she fell asleep against Ranvir’s chest with a fistful of Ranvir’s shirt. 

Meanwhile, Laura, Kai, Janette and Aljaz all decided that they should give the little family some time alone and, after many promises to come back and see them at the weekend, left. 

Smiling down at the little baby, Ranvir didn’t have the heart to place Mariella in her crib so instead she merely took her back downstairs and sat on the sofa. Tushaan excitedly paused the game he and Giovanni were playing and went and sat next to her.

“Hi Ella. I love you,” Tushaan whispered to his sleeping sister before gently kissing her head.

Ranvir smiled with teary eyes at her babies and kissed Tushaan on his head, “Oh, my darling little boy. I love you so very much.”

“I love you too, mum.”

Tushaan jumped off the sofa and went back to his game with Giovanni. Ranvir lounged on the sofa, watching her two boys with her sleeping daughter against her chest. Occasionally, Mariella squirmed but remained sleeping blissfully, eventually luring Ranvir to join her sleep.


	11. Baby just say, yes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giovanni has another very important question.

It had been three months since Mariella’s birth and life had been generally chaotic ever since. New Years Eve had come and gone with none of them remaining awake long enough to even notice the change. Tushaan was nearing the end of his final year of primary school and was getting angsty about moving up to middle school. Giovanni was running dance classes now instead of touring so frequently, dropping in on Gorka and Aljaz for a month during the summer rather than doing the full three. Ranvir was still working GMB as a more permanent presenter following Kate’s decision to full back a little and she was still taking on more and more shows as her popularity grew. To top it all off, they’d both agreed to do the future Strictly Christmas special. And they were doing all of this with a newborn baby in the house.

Giovanni lay back on the sofa relishing in the quiet atmosphere that surrounded the house knowing it would most likely be broken very soon. Ranvir had just dropped Tushaan at her sister’s and had a morning full of meetings so it was just him and Mariella in the house, who had gone down for a nap an hour ago. Playing with the ring on his little finger, he allowed himself to wish it was a different kind of ring entirely. He’d never have imagined that the gorgeous and ridiculously intelligent political editor of GMB would’ve fallen in love with him, nor he fall for her for that matter, but he was so very glad they had. He was so naive entering Strictly 2020; he’d looked forward to it for months following the cancellation of his tours and he honestly wasn’t sure if his mental health would’ve survived the cancellation of Strictly. 

Meeting Ranvir had completely changed his outlook on dancing, teaching and life in general. If you’d have asked him any other series which his favourite style was the only possible answer would’ve been latin. But dancing with Ranvir, holding her so closely to him, feeling her float in his arms… yeah, ballroom was definitely his favourite that year; hell, he hadn’t cared when the jive went badly (not that it ever happened according to Ranvir). His teaching style became softer. An intrusive internal voice chimed in that the same had happened to him. He realised during the quickstep that if he didn’t implement food breaks, Ranvir most likely wouldn’t eat and that terrified him. He also became increasingly aware of when they needed to have a coffee break because she was about to crash. God, he’d even started factoring in a spare half hour for a crying break if she so needed one. 

Laughing quietly to himself he remembered a certain encounter with Gorka behind the scenes during week 3. He’d just sent Ranvir off to get something to eat after she’d confessed that she hadn’t eaten all morning and Gorka was gobsmacked by the change in Giovanni’s tone. Gorka had naturally started teasing him about it and Giovanni had merely responded with “I’ve only had Ranvir for like 4 weeks but if anything happened to her I would kill everyone in this building and then myself”. 

And the way this woman had just spun his world on its axis as if it was the easiest thing in the world. He was completely out of his depth with Ranvir. Typically an emotional connection followed a physical one in his relationships, and occasionally there had been no emotional connection. With her it had been the opposite; of course, he’d been highly physically attracted to her, who isn’t, but he’d fallen for her long before he’d even approached the idea of anything happening between them physically. 

She was quite frankly the only person whose house he could randomly turn up outside at midnight having an absolute breakdown. He’d been terrified she’d think he was weird and it would make things awkward but he needed someone and she was the first person he thought of. And so he went, and she had simply responded by pulling him in out of the rain and texting work to let them know she wouldn’t be in. He remembered her firm voice as she was sending him to have a shower because it was freezing and she didn’t want him catching a chill, knowing him that well to know that he’d have a change of clothes in his car and going to grab them without being asked. And through it all, Ranvir never once asked for an explanation, just passed him a mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows (Ranvir had defended her owning these things by reiterating the fact she had an 8 year old but Gio wasn’t convinced) and pulled him close on her sofa, letting him bury his face in her neck and absorb himself in her scent, the gentle rise of her chest and the reassuring thud of her pulse. 

It was that moment, Giovanni was convinced, that he’d decided she was his future wife and mother of his children. At this exact minute only one of those things was true but he’d resolved that this evening he’d go to bed with Ranvir wearing an engagement ring he’d had hidden for 10 months. He was rather proud by the level of conspiracy with Tushaan keeping this a secret had taken. They’d spent weeks deciding exactly what they were looking for in a ring and a tedious amount of research into traditional Indian engagement rings and had finally settled on forgoing a traditional diamond. Instead, they’d settled on a relatively simple silver Sapphire ring, taking into account the fact that Ranvir disliked gaudy and extravagant engagement rings and much preferred a ring she felt comfortable wearing which didn’t draw to much attention. 

That was the easy part. Hiding it was much more difficult and complex. Giovanni was convinced Ranvir knew everything; give her access to the government’s database and Gio was sure she could figure out how to start a war. As such, the ring never stayed in one place for too long; occasionally, Gio would even hide in his car, sometimes it could even end up in Tushaan’s school bag. But they’d managed it and Ranvir had no idea what was about to happen. 

Glancing at his phone, Gio noted that Ranvir had text him a couple of minutes ago to let him know that she’d be home in an hour. Jumping up from where he sat on the sofa, he text Ranvir back to say that he couldn’t wait for her to get home and also dropped a text to her sister asking her to bring Tushaan home because he hadn’t in fact done his homework like he said he had, a lie naturally but one Tushaan was expecting; they’d planned this part too. Almost directly on schedule, Mariella woke from her nap and Gio went upstairs to soothe her crying and feed her. Mid-feed, Gio recognised the sound of the front door opening and Tushaan’s voice drifted up the stairs.

“Yes, auntie. I promise I’ll go and do my homework now so you don’t have to tell mum.”

Closing the door with a sigh reminiscent of his mother, Tushaan climbed the stairs looking for Gio. After finding him in Mariella’s room, Tushaan grinned at him which was returned by Giovanni.

“Ready, little man?” Giovanni questioned. 

“To make mum have a breakdown? Always,” Tushaan replied pulling out a certain outfit which Mariella needed to change into.

“Right you remember the plan right?” 

With that, Ranvir’s car pulled into the drive and Tushaan shouted Schmizzles and ran downstairs after closing the door. Both Tushaan and Schmizzles greeted Ranvir at the door with similar looks on their faces. 

“I thought you were with you auntie?” Ranvir questioned while hugging Tushaan.

“I was but then I remembered I hadn’t done my maths homework and decided I’d rather not get grounded. But we need to take Schmizzles out, mum,” Tushaan replied.

“Why? Where’s your father and sister?”

“They’re asleep in Ella’s room. She’s been really restless and Gio wasn’t able to take Schmizzles out and he’s been sad,” Tushaan pouted and picked the slightly-too-big-to-be-carried cockapoo up. 

Sighing and knowing she won’t win this argument, Ranvir began pulling her trainers on and told Tushaan to go and put Schmizzles’ lead on.

Quietly laughing, Tushaan ran and did just that, grabbing both their coats and a bag of treats before returning to put his shoes on. 

After getting in the car and after Ranvir had turned off their street, Tushaan grabbed her phone and text Gio that they’d just popped out to take the dog, nothing too suspicious in case Ranvir saw it.

“Should I be concerned that you can get into my phone, kid?”

“Nope. And anyway I was just texting dad so when he wakes up he doesn’t have a panic attack and pass out. You know how he is.”

Ranvir giggled and rolled her eyes, “I’m changing my passcode now, y’know.”

Meanwhile, Giovanni changed a squirming Mariella into her onesie and grabbed her blanket and spare bottle just in case; they were going to be in public and, although secluded, he highly doubted Ranvir would want to breastfeed there. He looked down at the little girl on the changing table in front of him and gently kissed her head before whispering, “I’m going to marry your mummy soon, baby girl.”

Mariella squirmed and grabbed for him in response. Taking that as permission from their daughter, Giovanni changed into a similar outfit to what he was wearing the day they had met and grabbed the red velvet box out of its current hiding spot. Running his thumb over the lid, he quickly shoved it in his pocket, grabbed his coat and daughter and, after securing her in her car seat and placing her pram in the boot, got in his car and drove to the other end of Stonor House, opposite to where he knew Ranvir will have parked. 

After arriving, he dropped a text to Kai who had agreed to get his girlfriend to drive him over there to pick Gio’s car up and drop it back at home for him. He secured Mariella in her pram and made sure to cover her tightly with her blanket for two purposes before going and sitting on the bench where they’d filmed part of their launch show VT.

Suddenly a wave of nerves overcame Gio as he heard Ranvir and Tushaan, well more Schmizzles barking, approaching him. He took a deep breath and steeled himself as he leant down to fuss the excited dog at his feet.

“Hey, Princess,” Giovanni beamed up at her but the breath was quickly knocked out of him when he saw her. She wasn’t wearing anything other than her work clothes with a pair of trainers but he’d never seen anything more stunning than her ever. 

“I thought you were asleep?” Ranvir questioned after giving him a gentle kiss.

“I was but Mariella woke up not long after you guys left so I thought I’d meet you here.”

As soon as Ranvir had turned her attention to the little girl, Giovanni winked at Tushaan who smirked in response. Mariella was blinking up at her mum for a couple of seconds before reaching up to grab at Ranvir’s loose hair, making Ranvir laugh and lean down to lift her.

“Hey, sweetie. Mumma’s missed you….” Ranvir’s voice trailed off as she read the clear print on Mariella’s onesie: 

“Will you marry daddy?”

Ranvir’s brow furrowed with confusion and she turned to face Giovanni. Her jaw dropped as she saw him down on one knee in front of her with the most stunning ring she’d ever seen in his hand. Unconsciously, she hadn’t registered the fact that Tushaan had taken Mariella out of her arms and sat on the bench with her.

Ranvir’s hand came up to her neck and began playing with her necklace as Giovanni began to speak:

“Ranvir, I honestly cannot express just how much I love you in words. But Lord knows I’m about to try,” Gio swallowed in an attempt to clear the shake from his voice. “I felt a pull towards you since the very start but I pushed it aside; I’d presumed it was just a remnant of lockdown but I so very wrong. You amazed me week after week. You’re so very strong and these past few months have only solidified that belief. I have to pinch myself every morning that I wake up beside you because I cannot believe you’d ever fall in love with me. You’ve allowed me to be so much more of myself and triggered a response inside me I could never have imagined I was capable of. You’ve made me a better man and I can only hope that I’m even half deserving of your love. I’ve always said that I only ever want to be a good husband and father and you’ve already given me the opportunity to be one of those things. So I have one very very important question to ask you: Ranvir Singh, will you marry me?”  
Ranvir wiped away a stray tear falling down her cheeks and replied, in a voice thick with emotion, “Of course I will. Yes.”

Giovanni’s eyes lit up as he slid the ring onto her finger before picking her up and spinning her around. Ranvir shrieked but leant down and gently kissed him, pouring all the love she felt for him into it.

After he’d placed her on the ground, she couldn’t resist teasing him a small amount. 

“And anyway, I don’t remember divorcing you after the American Smooth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone is curious, this is the ring I was picturing him proposing with
> 
> https://www.angara.com/uk/p/marquise-sapphire-and-round-diamond-twist-ring-sr0177s?stone_grade=a&stone_size=6x3mm&metal_type=white+gold&metal_karat=14k&cid=ps-gpla-acc!uk-adg!77776624957-cmp!6482646717SR0177S-WG-A-6x3-pla-293946777986&s_kwcid=AL!6785!3!381019467507!!!u!293946777986!!c&&gclid=Cj0KCQiAx9mABhD0ARIsAEfpavTv-mQUngKn3ypzfFq-bEMyNvmO_QdhjqZRmC5afnZLaCp-GGyow6EaAuA_EALw_wcB


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Small flash-forward to their future

Ranvir giggled at the sight of the recently-turned-one baby girl crawling along the floor in time with Giovanni’s dance moves. Since he’d begun them during lockdown, Gio had decided to continue doing his online lessons; of course he hadn’t factored in the new ability Mariella had discovered. Smiling in the way he only did when he was around his family, he leant down and picked the crawling child up.

“Taking after daddy this one,” Giovanni laughed, kissing Mariella on the head before handing her off to a waiting Ranvir. “I genuinely don’t know why I move her, she’ll just be back in a minute. But anyway, after that small distraction…”

Ranvir sat back down on the sofa opposite him, out of view of the camera, and placed Mariella on the floor with her toys while Giovanni continued with his lesson. As soon as he started moving again, however, Mariella crawled over to him. 

Picking her up again, Giovanni positioned her comfortably on his hip and addressed the camera, “Well then, little one’s joining us.”

Ranvir laughed quietly and left the little girl in his capable hands and went to pick up Tushaan from hanging out with his friends. 

An hour later, at the end of his lesson, Giovanni sat on the sofa with his little girl on his lap grabbing at his shirt and chewing on it. Laughing, he took the shirt out of Ella’s mouth and she pouted, her bottom lip wobbling.

“No baby girl. No crying,” Giovanni panicked slightly; he hated it when his little girl was sad.

“Dada.”

Giovanni’s eyes widened, “What was that?”

“Dada,” Mariella’s little voice was slightly more confident this time.

Gio’s eyes welled up with tears as he looked down at his little girl and beamed at her. 

“Yeah baby. Dada.”

Mariella clapped and kept repeating the word until she heard the front door go which caught her attention and she squirmed out of Gio’s lap until he placed her on the floor. She crawled over to the door and squealed happily when she saw Tushaan. 

“Hi, sweetie,” Tushaan excitedly replied to her incoherent babbles before walking into the living room, knowing that she’d follow him.

Ranvir sighed with relief as she remembered just how scared she was about Tushaan’s reaction to having a baby in the house but he’d been wonderful with her during the past year. To be honest, Ranvir thought he rather enjoyed having a little sister who allowed him to rewatch all of his old favourite Disney films. 

Walking into the kitchen and seeing Giovanni with his back to her making coffee, she instinctively walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing gentle kisses to his back. Smiling, Giovanni turned around and captured Ranvir’s lips in a heated kiss. Ranvir let out a muffled moan as he nipped her bottom lip but pushed gently on his chest, knowing they were likely to get walked, or crawled, in on soon. 

But things were slightly too quiet in the living room until there was a rather large bang. Both exchanging panicked looks, they ran into the living room to see both Mariella and Tushaan surrounded by scattered books and a broken bookshelf. Sighing, Ranvir raised her eyebrow at the two as Giovanni attempted to muffle his giggle as Mariella began clapping.

“This isn’t a good thing, little butterfly,” Giovanni corrected her.

Mariella scrunched her face up, looking a little confused before loudly and confidently shouting:

“Dada!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have been considering writing a follow-up at some point in the future but I'm not entirely sure yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Multi-chapter pregnancy fic because I like to ignore my deadlines and focus on happy things like Ranvanni.


End file.
